Automatic spark-retarding attachment for internal-combustion engines



April 30, 1929. E. A. NIBLACK 1,711,123

AUTOMATIC SPARK RETARDING ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed 9 15, 1926 V 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

I amen 6oz April 1929- E. A. NIBLACK 1,711,123

AUTOMATIC SPARK RETARDING ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed 001:. 1.5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

f STATES i MMEr'r AfN IBLAcK, or unrrnn s'ra'rns ARMY, roar su ral a AUTOMATIC SPARK-RETARDING ATTACHMENT FOR INr nNAL-coMBusrron nifcmns.

Application filed October 15, 1926. Serial No. 141,821.'1--

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF wherein means are provided for retarding the spark of a motor prior to the operation of .thestarter,

Another object being to prevent back-fire of the motor due to an advanced spark in starting, thereby avoiding in some instances a broken Bendix spring, a bent or broken starter motor shaftor other damage to the starter or motor parts.

A further object being to .provide an arrangement of parts whereby the operation of the starter cannot be accomplished without previously operating the spark retarding mechanism and thereby avoid the operation of the starter without first retarding the spark.

These and other objects will appear in the following description and be finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a fragment of a motor vehicle showing my improved spark retarding mechanism applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of same.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the attachment.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the attachment on line 4t4: of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail side and end views of the adjustable sleeve and its crank arm.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 represents a conventional form of motor, 2 the dash, 3 the floor of a motor vehicle.

For purposes of illustrating an application of the improved attachment, the commutator 4: is shown at the front of the motor and through conduits not shown, is connected with MARCH 3, 1333, ,22; swarm 6250.

the spark plugs of the motor theu sual manner. t

Any. form of mechanism. operated. usually from adjacent to the starting, wheel for the adjustment of the commutator and controlling the advance and retarding of;the spark,

may be used, said mechanism not being a part l of this invention. and scribed. y

Projecting up through the floor .3 of ,the vehicle is the usual starter button 5, adapted when depressed to completea circuitbetween the source'of energy and thejstarter motor of any well kn0wn ,.form;of, motor starter mechanism, said button onlybeing shownin thedrawings. t 1,}, r .1; f

In starting an internal combustion .-1 notor withthe spark advancedinthe position it usually occupies while the motor, is running at high speed andthe, position it isusually left in when the motordsstopped, there is great danger of a back fire and costly damage done to the starter mechanism or motor such as a .bent starter shaft, motorshaft, or the stripping of gears.

This attachment is intended to accomplish, without any consideration on the part of the operator, the automatic retarding of the spark of the motor prior to the operation of the starter by arranging the parts of the retardin mechanism in such a manner as to place the operating lever of said retarding mechanism in the path of the foot of the operator on its way to the starter button 5, thus making it impossible to operate the starter without first retarding the spark.

Rotatably supported in brackets mounted on the engine block 7 and frame 8 of the vehicle, on dash 2 and in bearing 10 mounted on a cross member 11, is the rocker shaft 12.

Mounted on the rear end of rocker shaft 12 is a crank arm 13, said arm extending laterally from the rocker shaft, and in its free end, is mounted the lower end of a short post 14 which extends up through an opening 15 in the floor of the vehicle adjacent to the starter button 5 and is provided at its upper end with a foot piece 16 extending laterally directly over the button 5.

For the purposes of illustrating this invention, a vertically slidable button 5 is shown for operating the starter, but it will be un- Qits not show n or de- *in from the c to the starting button must first depress the 1,71 1,123 -v x 84 I I derstood that the foot piece 16 will operate as Having thus fully described my invention, effectively in combination with any of the what I claim and desire to secure by Letters starteffnechanism and may be arranged above the de motor,astarter mechanism for themotorhavpressibl epgrtipnflpf such e xne nber W .ingafootoperated starter button, and a com- Adj'listalily iiio unted'on'the for-wardens 'of' mutator' having an "operating arm' for conshai 421 s: arsplit isleevei-alfizedep esh to b er allingthe-spark. f. the m tQ -a =av clamped rigidly on the shaft by bolt 18 exshaft having a c 21111: arm at its rear end, a tending through ears19 nAnlad-jus't'stblecifoot-pieceiarranged above the starter button, crank arm 20 is clamped in the sleeve by bolt in the path of the foot of the operator, and 21 and on its outer ang uliti' iitensidfi"22 81 coiin'ect'eii with the free-end ot the crank arm, ,crank arm 20 is mounted one end of the coman adjustable sleere mounted on the forward inutator rod weren't-secrete thereonby oftlie"r ockcr'shaft, :1 crank arm mounted split pin 2ft. Rod 23connects the armQUarid in the ustable sleeve, an d a rod connecting the"commutatorbr distribntbr extends aid last'mentioncd crankarmand' the comletter-e541 M fniutzitor arm all arranged to. move the coin "Th'ebP'iittibir diitlie"sp"zti k retardeif s as iiiutator to retarded spark position whenth'e followsE tliebperatorinhrin'gingfhis foot nto foot piece is depressed. j position overthe sterterbutton to'istart-the 'Q."In combina'tioman internal combustion motor, must necessarily "bring his raq own motor-,2 starter mechanism-for the motor havon arm lG priorto reaching the button said 'i'ng a fo'ot operated starter button, and a comarmbe111gde1 ressd;shitt is rotated. and through rd'dJ'Q-Sj the co'ni'ni'uthtor meter to theretardedspat kipositioni Wheii tlre rid lever (herewith) studies *efi eacieirw th the commuuat ristpemt Geo entailed the spark in tlie'nsi'ialwafi the pnIi-t of 't' erstarding mechanism, will be returned tdtliii' original position. f *1 With i the "above retardingenhanism ax-'- ran'g'ed" as described 1twill1 be nip ossibleto operate the*stfirte rwithohtfirst "retarding the spark; tor'thereas'onthaflthe rose on its my ling'fthe spz-irh'of the m-oe 1-,,a'm1 ma shaft arranged longitudinally of the motoiyn crank arn'i' at the rearfend of the rocker shaft, a foot'piece arranged above the starter button tically slidable post connecting said 'foot piece find-the free end of said crank arnrfanf adjustable sleeve clump'cdini the-forwarden'd of'jthei'ockcr arm, a cranknrm' adjustably mounted in the slecve,*ztnd a connectingrod between said last mentioned crank arm'and the commutator arm, all arranged to move the commutator to'rcturded spark position, when 'foot piece-16, whihwill through' theineans shown throw"the coi'nniutatorfto retarded the footpiece is depressed.

position E nvI-n'rr A. NIBLAOK;

in the path of tho'feot of the operator, averinutator having an operatingarmforcontrol- 

